Landslide forces drivers to take detour to access major ski station in France
It is unknown when the road will reopen to traffic
No one was injured in the landslide near the Valberg (pictured)
G.Barattini-Photography/Shutterstock
A landslide has made access to a major ski resort in the south-east of France difficult, with holidaymakers forced to take a diversion.
Rocks fell onto the RD28 road through the Cians gorges near the village of Beuil (Alpes-Maritimes) on Thursday night (January 23), completely blocking the road in both directions. No injuries were reported.
The RD28 is one of the main routes leading to the nearby resort of Valberg.
Drivers will instead need to take a detour via the Col de la Couillole route through the Tinée valley (RM 2205) or the Daluis gorges (RD 29) to reach either the resort or the village of Beuil. Both routes add around ten minutes to the overall journey time.
No official date has been given for when the road can reopen.
“A geologist is currently inspecting the pile of rocks obstructing the roadway and part of the bed of the Cians,” local authorities from the Marais commune told French media, adding that the sector will have to be stabilised before work can begin.
Alpine landslides
The Alpine valleys are notoriously susceptible to landslides.
One major landslide in August 2023 blocked a 300-metre tunnel, cutting rail travel between France and Italy through the Maurienne valley for 19 months.
Read more: Watch: landslide closes major train route from France into Italy
Direct high-speed trains between Paris and Milan/Turin are set to run again from the end of March 2025.
